Refrigerator



(No Model.)

7 J. A. WIEDBRSHBIM.

REFRIGERATOR. No. 309,593. Patented Deo. 23, 1884.

WITNESSES 1 AMM;

ill rvrran- Smarts PATENT warren.

E'ePECIFICJATION forming part of Letters Patent 310609593,

HEFRIGERATOR.

dated December 23, 1884:.

Application filed April 21, 1884. (X model.)

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN A. lVIEnnRsIrnrn, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inRefrigerators, which improvement is fully set forth in the followingspecification and accompanying drawings, in which 1 Figure 1 is a top orplan view of the interior of a refrigerator embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a longitudinalverticalsection thereof. Fig. 3 is a transversevertical section thereof. Figs. 4 and 5 are longitudinal verticalsections of modifications. Fig. 6 is a section of a portion of the trayof the refrigerator, showing another modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

The object of my invention is the utilization of the water or melted iceof a refrigerator for cooling purposes, and the adaptability of the traywhich supports the food or material as a cooling-surface for said food,&c.

The invention consists of the tray of a refrigerator constructed toconstitute a discharge-conduit which extends laterally from theice-chamber, the discharge end of the same being projected or extendedupwardly, so that the water or melted ice from the ice-chambercirculating through the tray is brought in contact with the upper wallof the same, thus effectively cooling the tray, the icechamber and traybeing connected as one, so that they may be readily removed andreapplied, and when removed it maybe washed and cleansed by waterdirected. either into the ice-chamber or the discharge end of theconduit, and the discharge end of the tray is supported on the wall ofthe body of the refrigerator.

The invention also consists of a novel man-- nor of supporting andstrengthening the tray.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body or case of arefrigerator, and B represents the ice chamber or holder, which issustained withiirthe body A, and formed of any suitable material, suchas zinc, galvanized sheet metal, enameled cast metal, The bottom. of theice-chamber B is open, and has connected with it a tray, 0, which is oftubular form, preferably flat, extends horizontally and laterally fromor from near the lower end thereof, and is supported within the body,the same being in connnunication with said icechamber B. The end of thetray opposite to the chamber 13 is bent or deflected upwardly, as at B,and said end, as shown in Fig. 1, is passed through an opening in theside of the body A, where it is provided with either a faucet or adrip-cock, a, or may be entirely or partly open for the purpose ofdischarging the melted ice or water from the ice-chamber, as will behereinafter explained. XVhen the chamber B is supplied with ice, thewater therefrom enters the tray 0 and bend B, so that it fills the tray,and consequently comes in contact with the upper wall, 0, thereof, thuscooling said well. As soon as the water in the bend reaches the faucetor cook a, or the discharge-opening of said bend, it is permitted orcaused to escape, or may be occasionally drawn off for drinkingpurposes, it, however, being desirable to have the tray filled withwater and allow the same to discharge slowly, thus causing the upperwall of the tray to be constantly subjected to the action of coldrunning water.

It will be seen that I provide a tray which may support articles offood,850., and as its upper surface is cooled by the action of the melted iceor cold water, as has been stated, such-articles rest on the coldsurface of the tray and are kept in good condition, it being evidentthat steaks, chops, &c., may be laid directly on the tray, the surfacewhereof is long and wide and cold throughout, and said surface may bewashed and kept bright and clean. In some cases the bend or deflector ofthe hollow or tubular tray has its upper limb or end projected throughthe side of the body, and the terminal wall has the faucet or dripcockattached to it; or said wall may be with in the body of therefrigerator, and the faucet or drip-cock passed through an opening inthe side of the body. In either case the ice chamber and tubular orhollow tray may be readily fitted in position within the body andremoved therefrom. \Vhcu the deflector is passed through the side of thebody, the tray has its discharge end supported on the wall of theopening in the side of the body. The faucet or drip-cock may bedisconnected from the tray or made of such size as to remain connectedwith the tray and passed through the body while locating or removing thetray. Between the sides of the tray and body are spaces for the ascentof heat or vapor rising from the food placed in the refrigerator belowthe tray and the circulation of air from top to bottom of the body. Itwill also be seen that the body of the refrigerator is subjected to thecooling action of both the tray and ice-chamber, and thus every portionof the body is effectively cooled, the portion of the body below thetray being adapted to receive articles of food, &c., access theretobeing had through doors, as usual in refrigerators. Theice-chamher andspace in the body A above the tray may be reached through the lid, and aside door may also be provided to permit access to said space.

D represents rods or bars, which are passed through the tray 0, andtheir, ends project at the sides thereof, so as to rest on shoulders orcleats b, secured to the body, the openings in the walls of the traythrough which the rods pass being fully closed by soldering or othermeans in order to prevent leakage at said openings.

It will be seen that the tray is firmly'supported by the rods D, andthe-upper walls thereof stiffened by said rods, thus strengthening thetray. Rods may also pass through the bottom of the ice-chamber, andproject therethrough for supporting the same, in which case the uppercleats or shoulders on which the flange at the top of the ice-chamber isrested may be dispensed with, this feature being advantageous, as noobstacle is presented to the introduction of the ice-chamber and trayinto the body and removal of the same therefrom, said chamber and traybeing preferably connected or constructed as one piece, but may be madeseparately. In the latter case suitable packingis interposed between thejoint of the chamber and tray, to prevent leakage thereat.

In Fig. 4 the bend or deflector B is substituted by a hollow goose-neck,and an additional hollow tray is shown at the bottom of the body, thesame being in communication with the upper tray, so as to receive watertherefrom, said bottom tray having at its discharge end a deflector orupward bend similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 5 the upper tray has a deflector or upward bend at each end, andthe lower tray has such deflector or upward bend at the middle, thusshowing that a deflector or bend may be variously located, its object ineach case being to cause the water in the tray to rise against the upperwall of the tray and coolthe same, Fig. 4, however, being only aduplication, and Fig. 5 a multiplication, of

the ice-chamber and tray, but the feature of the removability of thesame being preserved in both.

In Fig. 6 the bend is in the upper wall, and the partition rises fromthe lower wall to a point above the level of the upper wall, whereby thewater fills the tray prior to passage over the partition, so that theupper wall is cooled, with the advantages 'hereinbefore stated. I

It is evident that the tray may be readily cleansed by directing waterthrough the same, either while it remains within the body A, or byremoving the tray and chamber and placing the chamber under a hydrant orother water-supply; and, if desired, the ice-chamber may be filled withboth water and ice, so as to provide an ample supply of drinking-wateror of running water, which is directed through the tray and serves tocool the same before being drawn off or discharged.

The rods or bars D may be connected with the upper or lower walls of thetray or sides or ends thereof; but when passed through the tray, ashereinbefore stated, they both sustain the tray within the body andstrengthen the upper wall thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A refrigerator having an ice-chamber and a hollow or tubular traycommunicating therewith, said tray projecting laterally from theice-chamber, and having at its discharge end an upwardly-directeddeflector which is supported on the side of the body, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. A refrigerator having an ice-chamber and a hollow or tubularsupporting-tray, which extends laterally from said chamber and is incommunication therewith, the discharge end of the tray having anupwardly-directed deflector, said chamber and tray being connected asone, and removably supported within the body of the refrigerator,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A refrigerator having a hollow or tubular tray for supporting food,850., and an ice chamber in communication therewith, said tray having anupwardly-directed deflector or bend, and rods or bars connectedtherewith for supporting the same within the body of the refrigerator,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

i. A refrigerator having an ice-chamber, a hollow or tubular trayattached to. and communicating with said chamber, and rods or barsconnected with said tray for supporting the same, the tray having at itsdischarge end an upwardly-directed deflector or bend which is supportedon the wall of the body of the refrigerator, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

5. A refrigerator having an ice-chamber, anda hollow or tubular trayconnected with said chamber and in communication there- IIS with, saidtubular tray being supported with and having secured to it rods or barswhich in the body and having air-passages at its sides, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

6. A refrigerator having a hollow tray or conduit in communication withthe ice-chamber thereof, said tray discharging the Water of said chamberand being cooled thereby,

support said tray and strengthen the same, sub- I c stantially asdescribed.

JOHN A. XVIEDERSHEIM.

Witnesses:

A. P. GRANT, W. F. KIROHER.

